Special Tours
"The GABA program indeed did help me to bind, one to another, in that far away land. I am most grateful for each learning experience and the formation of new acquaintances. Yet, there is so much more I want to know! Please keep me informed about any future African Diaspora sojourns. Again thank you and Your World for the eye-heart-mind opening experience for me this summer. "
W. Frances Deckard, Retired Educator and Life-Long Learner
Ypsilanti, Michigan
"I have just returned from Brasil Que Maravilha Que Bella the experience was rejuvenating. I have visited Salvador do Bahia several times, but on each occasion I have fallen in love with this historic city over and over again. it is the warmth, the smiles, the presence of the orishas, the music, the dance, the food, and ordinary people walking in the streets. The joy of a city alive with itself, its vibrancy, its blackness, and its Africanity in every thread of the fabric of its colonial presence. Salvador is the soul of Brasil and I am still not able to understand how and why I have not lived in this city for a extended period of time. I breathe its flowers, I taste its fruits, I give thanks for its wheather, the sky is so blue and stars drop right into your lap with a radiant smile, people are outdoors day and night, young and old, in between, ages, colors, genders, shapes and sizes, the women/bainianas are beautiful beyond comparison, beyond definition, beautiful like the morning rain, elegant like the evening sun, setting in the distant harbor, paying tribute to Yemanja, the orisha of the seas, the oceans, the rivers, the waters, the fishermen.
New Orleans, Santiago de Cuba, Kingston, Port au Prince, Cartagena, Fort de France, Port of Spain, and alas!!! Salvador do Bahia, the city of our ancestors, ancient gods, orishas, memories, preserved, revered, celebrated, daily with every gesture and nuance. Oh! How I would love to mount an arts festival, Festival of the Yard, Festival of the Streets, Festival of the Quilombos, of Congo Square, Trenchtown, Laventville Hill, and Libertade, with art, music, theater, film, dance, textiles, wearable art, jewelry, crafts, photography, poetry, religion, carnival, and quilts of rememory. It is all in my head, it would travel from space to space for about five years, celebrating the spirit, the aesthetic of a new African civilization in the Americas, in the New World, something created out of our journey, our passage, through the crevices of pain and celebration, our footsteps in liberated zones of affirmation through gullies and traces of memory, yards of life, quilombos of laughter, love and collectivity, candombles of prayer and consciousness, palenques, maroon villages, holy earth, treasuring the incantations of tomorrow's dreams, the drum, the voice, echoing ancient truths of a new freedom, remembering the future, as the message passes from generation to generation, linked inextricably to the mathematical coefficients and scientific postulates of Ancient Egypt, and the wisdom preserved in those who are prepared to tell the other half of the story, the untold residue of the folk, voices which will usher in an African civilization in the 21st century in the Americas. The instruments of communication are accessible to us, linking up the voices of change in a new configuration, we are born in a crucible of struggle for an enlightened humanity, searching for justice and peace, an ethic that will deny greed, war, human suffering and ecological disaster, we can forge that tomorrow, the yards, the palenques, the quilombos, will represent the sacred spaces, liberated, free, collective, and democratic shared through our will to be one with each other and the Creator as we reflect the Light of the Master's Plan, A Love Supreme, John Coltrane, Nuff Respect, Nina Simone, Januwa Moja, Aminata Moseka, (Abbey Lincoln), Give Thanks, Bob Marley, Ile Aiye, Olodum."
Dr. Acklyn R. Lynch
Washington, D.C.
"The development of the descendants of slaves in the African Diaspora is of sustained interest to me. Through the tour, I sought a near-academic overview of the African influence on Brazil/Brazilians. I wanted to compare what I learned in last year's trip to Haiti and Cuba. The Legacy Tour, despite weather and festival-related unpredictability, made such comparison possible. Thank you, Willard. I enjoyed getting to know you. I wish you success in all your ventures. Let me know if ever I can ever be helpful to you in any way. Take Care."
Valena Williams
Oakland, CA
"Please allow me to express my gratitude for Union Temple's effort towards, "Bridging the gap from Africa to the Diaspora through sponsoring the twelve day trip to Brazil in August. I was and continue to be overjoyed with what I witnessed in Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. During my sojourn there I was able to witness first hand the tremendous contributions Afrikan people have made and continue to make in Brazil. God has truly blessed us as a people! Needless to say, I'm looking forward to traveling with Union Temple on an annual pilgrimage to this Holy Land. My heartfelt thanks for everything Union Temple and YourWorld have done. "
Kamau Robinson
Washington, D.C.
"The vacation was wonderful and meeting nice people like you made it extra special!"
Diana Davis
Detroit, Michigan
"Hope that you enjoyed your trip to Brazil - I had a fabulous time!!"
Beverly Forbes
Washington, D.C.
"We could not let this opportunity pass without saying, "THANK YOU" for sharing the trip to Brazil with us. What we learned and saw there is invaluable. Going to the museums, doing the tours, visiting the schools and shopping were experiences that we will cherish for life. We were impressed with the work of our brothers and sisters who are helping our children and generations to come to be all that they can be. We felt privileged, honored and blessed to share in the history and culture of Brazil. And just to think that we had second thoughts about no raking this trip of a lifetime which allowed us to experience another part of our culture. Again we say Thank Your from the bottom of our hearts to Union Temple Baptist Church. Union Temple and YourWorld who made this trip possible. And thanks to Janawa for giving so much of her time and knowledge in making it a very valuable and enjoyable trip. We are anxiously awaiting our next pilgrimage to Brazil with Union Temple."
Rolando and Yaa Amerson
Washington, D.C.
"Please accept our sincerest appreciation for your role in making our recent trip to Bahia and Rio de Janeiro among our most educational and enjoyable that, between us, includes visits to almost 25 countries. We also want to take special note of your familiarity with the people, culture, traditions, customs and places we visited. Particularly, you often offered explanations and insights from our US an African-American perspective that could not be provided by even our superb local guides. Thank You! Special thanks also for the generous invitation to all to attend a pre-trip orientation at your home; those who participated enjoyed a special benefit. Please keep us informed of future trips for which you will carry a leadership responsibility."
Dr. William and Celeste Bennet
Silver Spring, MD
"Thank you for sharing your knowledge of Brazil with us. It was a wonderful trip and an exceptional learning experience."
Velma and Charles
Washington, D.C.
• Reservation Application
• Application for Visa Form
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Helpful Resources
Forms
• Brazilian Embassy
• State Department
• Currency Conversion
• The World Clock
• Affirmative Action in Brazil
• Purchasing Real Estate
in Brazil
• What are Quilombos?
testimonials
Brazilian Travel Links
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Below are links that you may find useful in planning your trip to Brazil. Please let us know if we can assist you with your travel arrangements.